Arelith

There are plenty of class items that seem a little other-the-top but in one way or another, something is done to make it less appealing, though still easy to build around. Some items are just downright too much, like the "Penumbral Vestment". Shadowdancers clothing that gives +3 AC, +2 Constitution, +4 Hide/MS, and TWO uses per day of shadow shield. Conveniently, also fits nicely on caster shadow dancers. If powerful items like this are offered to classes that are already established, where is the love given to the classes that actually need it? The best comparison to make to this is a "Fighter's Helmet" giving you a whopping +1 AC, +4 to Listen, Search (which are not fighter skills btw) and +1 Constitution, but that's just a little too strong apparently so only fighters can wear it. Then look at all the gear Paladin's have available to them, or Rangers. If you have to make powerful items, fine, but spread the love. Two castings per day of a level 7 arcane spell that gives +5 Natural AC, immunity to Necromancy spells, instant death effects, negative energy damage, and +3/10 damage reduction. At the very least it should be dropped to 1 casting per day of Shadow Shield. I would also change that +2 Constitution to +2 Dexterity, otherwise, it seems way too beneficial to HiPs spamming caster dancers.

Shadow Shield has a fairly short duration when cast from an item and can be breached, plus most of its effects are easily replicated with wands with similar or more robust durations. + 2 Con just makes it a tad bit easier to reach the +12 soft cap ~everyone~ reaches one way or another, hardly a game changer.

The reason for Ranger Runic Leather is because strength rangers have no AC and dont work as a class without it.

Cant really comment on Paladin's as I've never played one but last time I looked at their unique headpiece I wasn't really blown away, its only really useful vs evil enemies as I recall still requiring other buffs to max out your deflection AC.

The shadow shield basically comes out to being +1 ac for a few fights, and most SD builds are rocking umd for wand sources of the other effects anyway, at a more reliable duration.

Also, I'm not exactly scared of caster/sds with no disc source happening to have a +2 con option.

Beard Master Flex wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 22, 2020 3:28 pm

Shadow Shield has a fairly short duration when cast from an item and can be breached. . .

Only now realizing how extensive the breach list is on Arelith, that certainly changes things. I'd still love to see more equipment provided to classes that haven't gotten as much attention. Does anyone ever actually use the Fighters Helmet?

No, but the fighter helmet has been on the server as long as I have and well before any of the new class specific items started cropping up.

More class and race items would be nice in general. There are a few "holy grail" items that outshine everything else a bit too much and this pushes people to play characters built around those weapons-- asking "how can I best take advantage of the lesser moonblade" instead of "what would be an interesting elf concept."

I don't mean to complain and I know it takes time to add balanced items, I just hope a slow but steady stream of new class and race items is something on the agenda.

*The svirf hammer is definitely something that should be re-examined especially now that they have an extra stat gift, I think the huge dex bonus you can start with now plus that weapon is too enticing. Maybe it's time it was dropped to +4..

They mentioned they were going to add more class items. Shaman could really use some.

Shaman and Favored Souls would be high on my list for needing at least a chest/ring/helm (typical holiness/nomad/ etc).

Hexblades could use something as well as I think a cavalier only plate mail could be fun.

I guess speculative item suggestion time?

Shaman would do pretty well with their name tagged onto some druid items, magic staffs, etc, and then (much like, say, inception of nightmares for specific mage types) a couple pieces of more specialized gear:

Line of Tribesman's equipment (leather armor, a large shield maybe, a club?) That has, say,
+Wisdom, +leadership, ac when relevant.

Maybe an greater version with other stuff. Play into the popular shaman/barb tribesman setup by boosting leadership ranks.

A spiritualist set with some spooky necro per days on, for your evil shamans.

Favored Souls: see 'cleric mirror gear'

Hexblade: in a weird place gearwise because other than gearing out like a bg or monk or rogue, the only thing I can genuinely think of to differentiate would be spell slot gear (why) or neat, slightly bass boosted, enchanting basin weapons.

Even opening some of the existing pieces to Favored Soul and Shaman would help them honestly. It takes a lot of effort to add in new gear, a lot of balancing work.

Shaman at least gets access to the tribal path through barbarian. Favored souls are pretty much looking at a lot of the same charisma gear a sorcerer would. Shamans and druids are both Wis based, so adding the same bonus spells for shaman as druid and opening the class restriction to shaman would be a simple solution for meow. Favored souls can at least use the Templar Armor without issue, but nothing for bonus spells.